TWO young boys held a contest (a battle with words where everyone becomes better) to see who would
be the “Prince of Paradise,” and who would be just a nice person. After the first 2 contests, (see HERE) Shaiq was ahead. Andrei won contest #3 and the boys tied contest #4. That led to one more final contest.

Contest
#3asked the boys to figure out twenty word puzzles called “rebuses”. Such words, made by combining sounds from pictures, were found in the Sumer civilization over 5000 years
ago. [see below, left]

Contest
#4was to complete 12 sentences with missing onomatopoeias [ana-mata-PE-ah]. If we are not mistaken, we just heard you say, “With what?!” An
onomatopoeia is a word whose spelling comes from a sound. When Charles
Dickens had his old sour Scrooge say, “Bah, humbug!” the word-sound “bah”
is an onomatopoeia. What we didn’t expect was the wonderful difference playing this game
with people from around the world would make! For example, do bees buzz where you live or zhee?

After contest #4, the boys were tied once again! “This contest is nevergoing to end!” they cried.

“Brilliant!” answered the English teacher under the pine tree (whose job it was to come up with new contests and was running out of ideas). “Your last contest will be to
see who can write the most hyperboles—that is, exaggerations.” [See contests #4 and #5 below . . . and the winner!]

REBUS

A rebus is a word puzzle that spells a word or phrase. In this contest, Shaiq got 11 right but Andrei got 17 right.

6.) Jim loved the ____ of the ball when it went through the basketball net. taapop || swish

7.) That clock has a loud ____ ! tek, tek, tek || tick, tick, tick

8.) When you first open a bottle of soda it goes, ______. ………………………………………………….vezhzhzh || pshhhhi

CONTEST #5: HYPERBOLES—

In contest 5 the boys had to think up ways of saying things that were exaggerated, that is, to say something in a way that is much bigger, much smaller, much better or much worse than it really is. These expressions are called hyperboles [hi-PER-bo-leez]. For example: We use hyperboles at least a million times a day! (Well, maybe not a million—but listen to yourself. You may be surprised how often you do use a hyperbole!)

SHAIQ:1) I went shopping 1000 times last week. 2) My birthday will never come. 3) Mrs.Chips never stops talking. 4) I invited a ton of people to my birthday party. 5) I told you a million times not to say that. 6) I died laughing. 7) That’s the easiest test in the world. 8) He is the smartest boy in the world. 9) Afghanistan breads are longer than a train. 10) He runs faster than an airplane. 11) Your voice is louder then the loudspeaker. 12) This bag weighs a ton. 13) This contest will never end. 14) He has tons of money. 15) He is the cutest baby in the world. 16) I’m the only person who is having lots of problems.

ANDREI:1) I ran so hard I was sweating rivers. 2) The music was so loud my head almost exploded. 3) You are priceless. 4) The test was as hard as stone. 5) My best friend is as tall as a mountain. 6) His smile is as bright as the sun. 7) I am as strong as bull. 8) I am as fast as bullet. 9) I am as slim as pin. 10) I can run like a wind. 11) I would give anything for that. 12) I told you a million times. 13) He exploded in anger. 14) I haven’t seen you in ages.

SHAIQ narrowly won the battle of words and became the proud Prince of Paradise. However, soon after he began to rule he had an idea. “Why don’t I share the job with Andrei?” And so, they agreed that for 6 months Shaiq would be Prince and then 6 months Andrei would be Prince. Very soon, however, both boys had an idea: “Let’s make the English teacher under the pine tree the Princess of Paradise. We’ll just be nice people.” And that is what they did. THE END . . . almost. Shaiq and Andrei got to be very good friends (in real life) and talk by Skype now and play chess together online. We’re sure they’ll be friends forever. ;-)